My favourite Chenin was very modest, but an amazing bargain. KWV made it, and it sold in Ontario for a mere $6.95 a bottle. Great stuff; very crisp and tasty, with pear flavours, zingy acidity, and balancing r.s. Haven't seen it here in years.

David McIntire wrote:Just received this about the "world's greatest Chenin Blanc". Thoughts?

Huet - Yes

Chidaine - Sometimes

Joly - No

I am a Vouvray CB fan!

I had 2007 Chidaine Vouvray Argiles tonight - wow! It was very rich and exploded with flavor - I was blown away. I don't recall such a dry white with such depth. My only other experience with CB was Kanu from South Africa - almost no flavor.

I'm hot to try the Huet next - but that will require a bit more coin (I paid $23 for the Chidaine).

Last night at the DeVines staff party (local winestore), we had the`07 Condrieu from Les Vins de Vienne. Very dry, ginger and honey on the nose with white flowers. Perfect match for the appetiser which was deep-fried ricotta and mozza balls with saffron. Yummy.

WTN: `08 Lammershoek Chenin Blanc, Swartland SA.After reading TN from Tim York on the `07 Barrique, I managed to track down this bottle in a mum and pop operation here in Edmonton. There were two bottlers on the shelf but on a revisit yesterday, I found 12 more. This wine is a stunner! Owner Paul Kritzel is from Austria, bush vines worked by hand.

Good natural cork, 14% alc, $22 Cdn, 9 months old oak.

Color. Deepish yellow, no green.

Nose. Took a good hour to open up. Understated oak here, hint of creamyness, rich, apple. Minerally, straw, herby nose, no wool! "Floral" from across the table.

Palate. Initial impression was some sweetness, nutty tone on finish, apple and apricot. Very good acidity, some butterscotch very memorable here. Quite a lovely expression of CB here, appealing complexity. Will cellar more to see what evolves.

Light gold in color, quince nose, minerally. Has developed very well, off-dry, good acidity for a CB.Apple, peach, tangerine, nutty tones, all add up to pleasurable experience. I had whole bottle to myself as female cohorts were wimpy U of A beer drinkers.

Ok, since you brought it back up I will say it. I am not a Chenin Blanc fan. I like a glass every once in a while, and a few of the aged Huets have been amazing, but if the grape were to disappear from the planet I would not miss it.

"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."- George Orwell

Wow, I am in complete disagreement, David. Chenin Blanc stands atop my short list of ageworthy white grapes, alongside Riesling (I would also have included Chardonnay in that list until PremOx concerns totally obliterated my desire to age them). Both are capable of producing wines in various styles, from racy, zippy "dry" wines to late-harvest sweet wines of essentially immortal character. Chenin is now the best-represented white wine in my cellar, even outpacing Riesling (largely for availability reasons). De gustibus...

David M. Bueker wrote:...if the grape were to disappear from the planet I would not miss it.

Shameless ploy to get people to open their best examples of chenin blanc in tastings with you from now on!

More seriously, is there something about the flavor profile/structure that just doesn't do it for you? Given your tastes otherwise (e.g. love of minerally off-dry riesling plus I think you've professed appreciation for the broader pleasures of white Burgundy, and in many respects Loire chenin blanc combines those features), I would have imagined it to be right in your zone.

Chenin, much like Chablis or some of the euro-leaning California Chardonnays, and Pinot Gris is something I enjoy but do not feel a passion for. It's not that I dislike wines from Chenin Blanc, but that only rare exceptions have ever set my heart racing the way Riesling (and Champagne) has. The flavors of young Chenin do not grab me, and now that aging the best of them appears to be a crap shoot, I choose to devote cellar space to other things.

It's not like I have not tried.

"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."- George Orwell

i'm very fond of chenin and visit Loire nearly every year. dry savennieres and even chinon blanc haven't been doing much for me. in fact, i've been gravitating toward Jasnieres. the interesting thing about chenin is how the terroir makes all the difference - incredible variety of flavors - and then throw in the tendency in the layon area to use new oak and things really get wierd but frequently good as well. i am also extremely fond of sweeter styles since i love the acid balance. no one has mentioned sparkling; but these can be very good as well - someone mentioned Gaudrelle and in addition to other nice wines they make a lovely fizzy as well that i first had at les annes trent in chinon.

just read the thing from Bassins. i think the definition of 'Trie' is wrong. doesn't that refer to whether the wine came from the first, second or third pass(trie) through the vineyard for the late harvest wine?

David M. Bueker wrote:It's not that I dislike wines from Chenin Blanc, but that only rare exceptions have ever set my heart racing the way Riesling (and Champagne) has. The flavors of young Chenin do not grab me...

I am quite keen on some of the CBs coming out of S Africa although selection here in my area is not that great. I do feel however that putting away in the cellar for a few years might be a revelation. Just look at my thoughts on the Lammershoek and Mullineux.

TN: `08 Lammershoek Chenin Blanc, Swartland SA.

Bottle 3/3. Good natural cork, 14% alc, $22 Cdn, 9 months old oak.

Color. Deepish yellow verges on light gold.

Nose. Took a good hour to open up (do not serve too chilled). Understated oak here, hint of creamyness, rich, apple. Minerally, straw, herby nose, "Floral and honeysuckle" from across the table.

Palate. Initial impression was some sweetness, nutty tone on finish, tangerine, apple and apricot. Very good acidity, some butterscotch very memorable here. Quite a lovely expression of CB here, appealing complexity. Very nice balance here, wish I had more!